_ 97 _ already fallen in some parts; most of the houses are built in the same material apart from a few bath-houses, mosques and caravanserais in brick, but there are no magnificent buildings. Many silks, satins, tapestries, ribbons and brocades are woven here in quantity, and these are taken to many places. The plain in which it stands is small, and for that reason most agricultural supplies come from elsewhere because the greater part of the area is sandy. It lies to the east-south-east near a great range of mountains; but is surrounded with plantations, vineyards and orchards, producing larger and better peaches than our own, much better quinces and apples, bottle-pears and every other kind of fruit; for in this particular Persia is superior to all other countries, that is to say in its fruits. The city has cooler breezes than others in Persia. It possesses seven or eight very long streets; some of them have very high buildings and arched vaults, built by past kings who lived here for most of the time because of the cool breezes. In these streets there are many craftsmen of every kind, and many cooks who sell a thousand kinds of delicacy, mainly from sheep, which is the commonest food in Persia. The lambs here are as fat as pigs. The majority
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